


The Drawing

by BenedictCumberlandAccent



Series: Fandot Creativity Night [8]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Bad Parenting, Biphobia, Gordon is the worst, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 20:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13131057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenedictCumberlandAccent/pseuds/BenedictCumberlandAccent
Summary: For Creativity Night, the prompt was presents/breadArthur can't wait to show his dad his present he made for his class secret santa!





	The Drawing

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Gordon Shappey is not a good father. He is emotionally abusive to Arthur in this.
> 
> Proceed with caution.

Arthur went running to his Dad's office. He knew Dad would love what he made! It was a really, really great drawing! The door was closed, which Mum said meant Code Red for him, but Dad wouldn't mind this time! It was really, really important, after all!  
  
He struggled with the doorknob, the silly thing was locked. Luckily, Arthur was clever, and knew he could knock on it really hard, like Mum did.

He knocked knocked knocked, and the door opened! Dad opened it, looking mad. He probably thought it was Mum who opened the door, not Arthur

"Could you be quiet, you bloody fuc-"  
  
"Dad! Dad! Dad! Look! Look! LOOK!" Arthur interrupted, making sure to point to his drawing. Dad had to see it!  
  
"Arthur, shut it!" He made sure to be extra quiet now, so Dad wouldn't be too mad, "Now, what the hell do you want?"  
  
"I wanted to show you this!" Arthur told him, lifting the drawing higher so Dad could see, "We have a secret Santa for class, and I made this!"  
  
Dad grabbed the drawing from Arthur, examining it. And then, Dad smiled all big! He was happy! He tousled Arthur's hair and led him in the room.  
  
Arthur loved it when Dad was like this. When dad was being nice, even when Mum didn't make him. He loved it even more than Christmas, because it didn't ever happen as much as Christmas did.  
  
He sat down in the big, comfy chair, opposite of Dad's work-dad desk. His father finished up a call with one of his workers (Do bosses call their workers "babe"? Arthur should ask Mum). Gordon swiveled his chair, facing Arthur.  
  
"I can't believe it, Arthur, you're really growing up!" Dad had poured a glass of his yucky drink and gulped it down, "It's great to know you'll end up just a bit normal."  
  
"You really liked my drawing?"  
  
"No, of course not," Dad laughed, not in the nice, "It's one of the ugliest things I've ever seen! I meant the fact you're trying to get yourself a lady!"  
  
Arthur looked down. His really liked his drawing. It had Santa, and hearts, and a Christmas tree, and him and Adrian, his true love ever since they played on the swings together, and they were holding hands and playing with puppies. Arthur had thought it was perfect, but now not so much.  
  
"So who're you trying to woo here, Arthur?"  
  
"Adrian Evans," he mumbled, looking down, "We met on the swings."  
  
"Nice name," another drink was poured and chugged, "She pretty?"  
  
Arthur nodded. He felt like crying, his drawing isn't good anymore. Dad didn't like it. He knew that Mum wouldn't like it either. What if Adrian hated it?   
  
"Should we invite her over then?" Gordon asked, again filling his drink. "Maybe even sleepover? Might have a little fun, huh?"  
  
"Adrian's a boy," Arthur muttered softly, "His Mum would probably be okay with it."  
  
Gordon stared at him, in a not good kind of way. His nostrils flared up a bit, and his eyebrow twitch. He was super mad.  
  
"You little shite," He yelled, making Arthur's lip wobble, "Of course you think you're a poofter. With Carolyn always babying you, I'm shouldn't be surprised if you actually are one!"  
  
"Dad, I just-"  
  
"No, you listen here," Gordon interrupted, barely containing his yelling, "I don't want you to keep thinking this. You may be an idiot, but you're smart enough to stop this nonsense. You stop thinking that, and you stop hanging out with that boy. When Mum gets back, we're gonna talk about your behavior. You understand?"  
  
Arthur nodded.  
  
"Good, now get out."  
  
Arthur grab his drawing and left. He hated that he was so stupid, thinking dad would like it. He wouldn't cry, he's eight, he's a big kid now. He wouldn't, he wouldn't-  
  
The door slam from the office made everything hurt more.  
  
Arthur bolted to his room, tears flowing. He tore up the stupid drawing, and went to bed without supper. He cried so hard and loud, he didn't hear the yelling downstairs. He spent all his energy crying himself to sleep that night. He didn't wake up when Mum came into his room, or even when she slept next to him in bed.  
  
The next morning, Arthur found his drawing fixed up and taped all together. A note was left next to it, that read he and Adrian would have a play date next week. Dad had left early for a business trip, so Mum made chocolate chip waffles for breakfast, even though her face was hurt from running into a door.  
  
Mum told Arthur his drawing was beautiful. That he should still give it to Adrian, and he could still play with Adrian, if he wanted. He did. And she had talked to dad, he was okay with it, as long as Arthur didn't ever speak of it to him, or acted like he liked boys. Mum said Arthur was perfect the way he was. Arthur asked of it was okay that he liked boys and girls, and she tsked at him for asking a silly question. Of course it was.

She seemed a bit upset, but not at him, so it was okay. She always got grumpy when Dad was having one of his mean days.  
  
Arthur thought everything was good now.  
  
It was, only for the moment.


End file.
